Major political parties vowed Thursday to overhaul themselves to win back public confidence, seeing this week's election of a political novice as mayor of Seoul as a serious display of voter distrust in existing parties.
Opposition-backed civic activist Park Won-soon won Wednesday's by-election, beating high-profile rival Na Kyung-won of the ruling Grand National Party. The election was seen as a crucial test of voter sentiment ahead of next year's parliamentary and presidential polls.
The election was Park's second victory against major parties. Early this month, Park won against a senior lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party in a primary-type race to pick a unified candidate.
The main opposition parties backed Park during the campaign.
Local media interpreted the election of a candidate with no political experience as a crisis to party politics amid widespread public discontent with major parties that are often accused of focusing on partisan fighting without caring for the people.
In particular, the ruling GNP appeared stunned that younger-generation voters in their 20s and 30s threw overwhelming support behind Park.
"We will make more efforts to uphold the people's will. I will push to reform the party and make (election) strategies for the Seoul metropolitan area," GNP leader Hong Joon-pyo said. "We will try to win people's hearts by making policies for those in their 20s and 30s, and try to communicate them."
President Lee Myung-bak also said he takes the election results seriously.
Officials at the main opposition DP turned their eyes to their push to form a liberal alliance among smaller splinter parties in an effort to grab control of the National Assembly and the presidency.
Although the DP threw its support behind Park, the election result was a snub to it as the party failed to field its own candidate.
"As the eldest brother in the liberal bloc with its 50-year-old history, the DP needs to do a deep soul-searching over whether we have fulfilled the historical responsibility in accordance with the status," DP floor leader Kim Jin-pyo said in a party meeting. "We will hear people's order to spur the process to become a bigger DP to change the power structure in next year's parliamentary and presidential elections." (Yonhap)